About 60 homes have been evacuated in Shield Row
Dozens of villagers have been told to leave their homes and stay away from a street where emergency services are responding to a "suspicious item".
Robert Terrace in Shield Row, Stanley, has been cordoned off while a bomb squad assesses the item, with residents sent to The Louisa Centre in Front Street until they can return.
North East Ambulance Service and County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service say they responded to a support request from Durham Police at 13:00 BST.
They are still on the scene, with the fire service saying it had sent a fire engine and "expected to be there for some time".
Durham Police said about 60 homes had been evacuated.
Police cordoned off the street at 13:00 BST and residents have not been able to return
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